Tulsi Gabbard: Big Tech Should Not Get to 'Pick and Choose' Who Has a Voice
'The Big Tech companies and oligarchs created a virtual town square'
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Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, blasted Big Tech, saying that technology companies should not be in a position to "pick and choose" who gets to have a voice.
Last week, Gabbard warned that efforts to combat insurgency via Big Tech surveillance were a greater threat to the US than the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters.
Gabbard said in a video posted to social media at the time:
"Let’s be clear, the John Brennans, Adam Schiffs and the oligarchs in Big Tech who are trying to undermine our constitutionally protected rights and turn our country into a police state with KGB-style surveillance are also domestic enemies — and much more powerful, and therefore dangerous, than the mob that stormed the Capitol."
WATCH:
The mob who stormed the capitol to try to stop Congress from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities were behaving like domestic enemies of our country. But let us be clear, the John Brennan's, Adam Schiffs and the oligarchs in Big Tech who are... pic.twitter.com/Q3VssCiz5l
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) January 26, 2021
The former lawmaker said the crackdown on domestic terror represents a danger to every American, freedom of speech and constitutional rights.
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"The Big Tech companies and oligarchs created a virtual town square," she said.
"They have invited to us come and be a part of this town square, [and] then they’ve made billions from our private information and our attention, and now are saying we'll pick and choose which one of you get to have a voice, and which do not," Gabbard said.
"They are able to do this through a legal immunity provided to them under Section 230," Gabbard added.
"And they’re able to continue to move forward in a way that undermines our constitutional rights and free speech."
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Lawmakers in Washington have now reconsidered the domestic terrorism bill since the Jan. 6 riots.
Gabbard blasted a recent bill from Schiff ostensibly intended to curb domestic terrorism.
“What characteristics are we looking for as we are building this profile of a potential extremist, what are we talking about?"
"Religious extremists, are we talking about Christians, evangelical Christians, what is a religious extremist?
"Is it somebody who is pro-life? Where do you take this?”
